Love Drunk Cowboy

Spikes & Spurs #1

by Carolyn Brown

Carolyn Brown's first five cowboy/country music single title mass market romances have sold over 65,000 copies.

All Austin Lanier wants is to sell her inherited watermelon farm, slip on her stilettos and run back to corporate America. Until the drop dead sexy cowboy next door, Rye O'Donnell, decides he'll only take the farm if he can get the fiery woman who owns it as part of the deal...

Praise for Getting Lucky:

"Smart dialogue and unmistakable characters will leave readers wanting more." -Affaire de Coeur

"The down home Texas feel comes through in spades in Brown's writing." -Leslie's Psyche

"This is not your mother's western romance!" -RT Book Review

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Westerns, Contemporary, Western Romance, Fiction, Cowboy Romance

391 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Hi! I'm twenty five years old and movie star gorgeous. The camera added thirty plus years and a few wrinkles. Can't trust those cameras or mirrors either. Along with bathroom scales they are notorious liars! Honestly, I am the mother of three fantastic grown children who've made me laugh and given me more story ideas than I could ever write. My husband, Charles, is my strongest supporter and my best friend. He's even willing to eat fast food and help with the laundry while I finish one more chapter! Life is good and I am blessed!

Reading has been a passion since I was five years old and figured out those were words on book pages. As soon as my chubby little fingers found they could put words on a Big Chief tablet with a fat pencil, I was on my way. Writing joined reading in my list of passions. I will read anything from the back of the Cheerio's box to Faulkner and love every bit of it. In addition to reading I enjoy cooking, my family and the ocean. I love the Florida beaches. Listening to the ocean waves puts my writing brain into high gear.

I love writing romance because it's about emotions and relationships. Human nature hasn't changed a bit since Eve coveted the fruit in the Garden of Eden. Settings change. Plots change. Names change. Times change. But love is love and men and women have been falling in and out of it forever. Romance is about emotions: love, hate, anger, laughter... all of it. If I can make you laugh until your sides ache or grab a tissue then I've touched your emotions and accomplished what every writer sets out to do.

I got serious about writing when my third child was born and had her days and nights mixed up. I had to stay up all night anyway and it was very quiet so I invested in a spiral back notebook and sharpened a few pencils. The story that emerged has never sold but it's brought in enough rejection slips to put the Redwood Forest on the endangered list. In 1997 Kensington bought two books for their Precious Gems line. Two years and six books later the line died with only four of those books seeing publication. But by then Avalon had bought a book and another, and another. Ten years later the list has grown to thirty nine. Last year Sourcebooks bought the Lucky Series which is in the bookstores now. They've also bought The Honky Tonk Series which will debut with I LOVE THIS BAR in June and will be followed by HELL, YEAH, MY GIVE A DAMN'S BUSTED, and HONKY TONK CHRISTMAS.

Folks ask me where I get my ideas. Three kids, fifteen grandchildren, two great grandchildren. Note: I was a very young grandmother! Life is a zoo around here when they all come home. In one Sunday afternoon there's enough ideas to keep me writing for years and years. Seriously, ideas pop up at the craziest times. When one sinks its roots into my mind, I have no choice but to write the story. And while I'm writing the characters peek over my shoulder and make sure I'm telling it right and not exaggerating too much. Pesky little devils, they are!

I have a wonderful agent, Erin Niumata, who continues to work magic and sell my work. I'm very lucky to have her and my editors who continue to believe in me.

Happy reading!

Reviews

[Wminbc · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am LOVING this book...the build up and angst are fantastic...the romantic kisses and intimacy are wonderful and I am not even missing the sex--but I am looking forward to it coming! For a book that describes the sex scenes in less than one sentence...this book was so romantic, sweet and lovely! I love the PBR and wine making...so what is not to love about these two!

FANTASTIC BOOK...
I quite literally giggled and smiled all the way through this book. For those of you are looking for a wonderful contemporary romance where the romance and the story are played out front and centre…this one is for you. The sex, which is a long time in coming, is basically a sentence here and there (starting at around page 270). This book is not about the hot and heaving, this story is about a wonderful woman learning who she is, what she wants to become, and how she wants to spend her life.

I loved Rye. He is caring, loving, attentive and yet willing to put in the hard work to build a relationship with Austin before they have any romance. They share a common love of Granny, Austin’s grandmother and Rye’s neighbor. Together, they learn that they have a whole lot in common—both out in the fields and inside the bedroom. Their mutual attraction only serves to deepen their friendship which was built over the past six months of phone conversations. Their relationship was so genuine and thoughtful, that I found my heart clenching every time I suspected their HEA wouldn’t happen.

I loved the attention to detail. The PBR and specifics of watermelon planting and wine making were wonderful diversions along the meandering path that was Austin and Rye’s HEA. The cover made me buy the book, but the lovely story has me raving and recommending it to everyone. A great beach read that will leave you smiling and wanting a cold glass of watermelon wine. Enjoy! 

[Hadlie Gaming · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow bad...story could of been great but the writing was horrible and characters lacked substance and hotness was -0! Seriously I've never read a romance novel that literally skips over and barely highlights love scenes. Editing was horrid, paragraphs didn't connect, story line was all over (i.e. He asks her do you like Blake Shelton? She says no I wouldn't know if I like him I don't listen to country. Then she's talking about a Shelton concert she went to....ummm ok! Plus her whole personality, language and fashion change in a matter of weeks just because- who does that?!)

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank God! Nothing like a hot and sexy cowboy to pull me out of my reading rut! Carolyn Brown did not disappoint with this one! A quick and exciting read with a few speed bumps along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute while squealing like a school girl!!


Rye, named after rye whiskey is a hunky cattle rancher who rides bulls for the fun of it. Anyone up for a 8 second ride with him?...


Austin is considered a "city slicker" for living in Tulsa, OK and having a high power desk job. Her family is married to their careers and she thinks that that is her future... until Granny left her a watermelon farm across the road from a very sexy rancher that Granny "forgot" to mention.


My favorite moment between Rye and Austin:
"The sound of his Texas drawl had her panties inchin' towards the floor with every word..."
So true, right!


The whole book takes place in a small Okie town where everyone knows everyone and of course has their groups of old gossips. These little old ladies are the cherry on the sundae for this book! Golden Girls anyone??


Austin knew she had the watermelon farm, but what she found out is that Granny was also making sweet watermelon wine and it was quote famous. Everyone around town used it in their cooking and drank it on every occasion. Of course, that is the same wine that is bringing Rye and Austin closer and closer every day.


This book is filled with really cute details. Most books write sex like the people are pros and that they are acrobats with changing positions and such. Not this book! There was a great scene where everything was getting hot and heavy and Rye ended up needing a band aid for the new gash on his forehead... Yea, mood killer but funny as hell!!


The rattlesnake festival was adorable! But I had to wonder how much money he spent on that date... they ate gryos with coke, 2 ferris wheel rides, tea cup ride, deep fried pickle, funnel cake, Indian tacos... did I miss anything? Oh yea! FRIED RATTLE SNAKE!!!!

Yes, I looked it up! There really is such a thing!!! NO THANKS!

The end of the book Austin had to make a decision: high heels or boots? Suit or overalls? Desk or tractor?... See for yourself!

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

While the story itself may be somewhat entertaining, the writing was once again horrible.
I don't know why I picked up this book. I should have known better than to think that Carolyn Brown would even think of getting an editor who would have an oppertunity to correct her horrible writing.
I don't understand how someone is supposed to follow her story when she keeps switching viewpoints without any breaks in paragraphs. The fact that this somehow makes sense to both her and her editor is mind boggling.
moving on to the actual story, there was no conflict. How can i even enjoy a book that is missing an integral part to any plot.
one may argue that her undecided state of what to do with the farm was the conflict, but it was made obvious from the very beginning that this girl was much more comfortable in overalls and flip flips that she was in a suit and heals. conflict, it is not!
And the hero is the so-called "love drunk cowboy" that the cover advertises him to be. So i guess i can't really complain about it since i was supposedly warned about it.
Don't let the cute dress and boots on the cover fool you, this is the most boring book that you will ever read. If you don't put it down from sheer confusion in the first chapter.

[Mina · Rating 4 out of 5]

100% country and as redneck as it gets. Loved it.

ETA: As I mentioned to Kati in the comment below I wanted to add that I just really loved the MMC in this one, it's a 'love at first sight' (sorta) situation, and he's just absolutely smitten with her. He keeps getting distracted/is forgetful when he's still pining after her and they haven't gotten together yet. it was adorable. :D

[Michelle K · Rating 1 out of 5]

Here is a perfect example of where the cover, book blurb and title of the book made me purchase.

I am not even writing a review for the blog on this one. The first 20% of the book was pretty good and I was thinking it was a winner but it started going on and on and on about the attraction they had towards one another. Seriously nothing else was happening.
Then around 30% I was getting really bored. Austin has a hissy fit because he made a joke about her mother (it was truly in jest) and she flies off the handle at his parents home like a twelve year old. She decides to walk home 7 miles in heels. I rolled my eyes.

I also kept getting confused with her name being Austin and then the story takes place in Texas.

Rye started out to me attractive and cowboy hunky but then he went all wussy. Here is an example: "He slapped his thigh and turned around three time in the motel room. She cared enough to worry about him!"
I like my cowboys alpha. Not giddy like a school boy from a 1950's movie.

I figured I had read enough and stopped at about 40%. It takes a lot for me to stop reading a book but I couldn't put up with the old fashion immature characters. I don't mind "sweet" stories but this one was over top.

[J♤Đ£ · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was horrible. The writing was terrible, there was no plot, and the hero is so "in love" that he's repulsive. Also, as a southerner, the way she makes them talk is offensive. We don't talk in bad western metaphors, you jackass.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Codes, a treasure hunt, lost friendships... rekindled love..... fun.

[Lindsey Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Terrible. Loved every second.

[Patti TheLoveJunkee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Austin Lanier is an oil executive in Tulsa. Her mother has always encouraged her to put her career first and focus on working her way to the top.

Rye O'Donnell is a cowboy through and through - he owns a ranch, raises bulls, and rides in the rodeo.

When Austin's grandmother dies, she leaves her a watermelon farm and very specific funeral instructions. Austin goes out to Terral, Texas to carry out her grandmother's wishes, and she meets Rye, who lives across the street from her grandmother's farm. Rye was friendly with Austin's grandmother, and after her death Austin and Rye spoke on the phone, but Austin assumed he was an older man in his 70s, not a 32-year-old hunky cowboy.

Austin's intention is to clear out her grandmother's home, sell the farm, and move back to Tulsa, but it her plans keep leading her back towards Terral: There's migrant workers who depend on working the farm, a watermelon winery that's a surprise to Austin, and she can't stop thinking about that sexy cowboy right across the street.

My thoughts: Love Drunk Cowboy was pretty cute. I liked both Austin and Rye, and their chemistry was good. I loved how various scenarios made it seem that Austin's grandmother was pushing them together from the grave. The townsfolk were friendly and fun (the workings of the gossip mill had me smiling), and I enjoyed reading Austin's struggle between her corporate career and small-town living. While I liked Rye's family, I didn't care for Austin's mother and aunts - they seemed one-dimensional and flat. Austin's obsession with Rye's tattoo drove me up a wall, I think it was mentioned at least a dozen times.

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very witty novel about a Texas professional who is one her way to a very lucrative position in a Texas oil company and who inherits her grandmother's watermelon farm and her winery. Her mother is absolutely opposed to any other outcome than selling the farm and shaking all that farm dust off her $300 shoes. But Austin dearly loved her grandmother and as she begins to investigate her legacy and get to know those who were involved in the growing of the melons and the manufacture of wine, she begins to see value that her mother has never appreciated. Add in the sexy neighbor across the road--a rodeo cowboy rancher who was almost like a surrogate grandson to her grandmother and who sets her libido aflame, and Austin Lanier is one conflicted young woman. The repartee is really funny with some very kooky downhome types--friends of her grandmother's who are just who they are. The old-time sayings are abundant but they just add color and dimension to a story that is really charming and a love story that is always being impacted--or so it seems--by her grandmother's ghost. Not one of those nail-biting complicated novels, but the kind of romance that I have always enjoyed when I just flat out wanted to be entertained.

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a cute LOVE story, I will definitely be on the look out for the next in the series. It is a longer book and in just a couple spots drug on for me, but it was worth it in the end. I love all the secondary characters, especially Greta, Molly and Rye's siblings.

Going into this book I knew that Carolyn Brown does not write erotica. So I was not disappointed by lack of steaming hot sex scenes. Ms. Brown writes cute, funny LOVE stories, with a lil' bit of sex thrown in, but you can still feel the chemistry.

[Smut Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really endearing story.
This town and these people are so appealing. You can't help but love them. And my goodness Rye is one hunk of hot cowboy that I wouldn't mind having all to myself! I agree with the fact that this book could have been shorter - I stalled out a bit in the middle - but I still loved it and am glad that I saw it through!

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked the first in this series! The secondary characters Molly and Greta were a hoot! i loved the transformation that Austin went through to become the woman at the end of the book. Looking forward to more of them.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I plan on continuing with the series and will also start some of her other series. I love a good cowboy book :)

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

liked it but didn't love it, found it dragged out towards the end

[Book Binge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austin was really out of her element. She had worked night and day to get where she was in the corporate world--poised to take over her entire section in a very large company when her boss retires in a few months. Yet she dearly loved her grandmother, a gutsy lady who never knew what the world "old" meant and who lived life to its fullest right up the last. Now Austin is back in her father's hometown, presiding over the scattering of her grandmother's ashes per the will and last instructions. Her grandmother's attorney informs her that she has inherited the watermelon farm--nearly 2,000 acres of prime farm land--as well as her grandmother's prize possession: her winery. She had taken two weeks vacation in order to clear out the old house and probably put the farm up for sale. At least, that had been her mother's counsel, and yet, now she had been here for several days, met her grandmother's neighbor who was drop-dead gorgeous, and she wasn't quite so sure that selling was what she wanted to do. Yet the fruits of her many years of corporate labor beckoned--what should she do? Her aunts were at her constantly to give her life to her career. Her mother hated her dad's hometown and wanted Austin well and truly away from there. Austin's deep attachment for her grandmother seemed to be keeping her unsettled and the responsibility of the well-being of her grandmother's workers also kept her from making any decision that would end her association with the watermelon farm. As she remained, she got caught up in the planting and care of the fields, was expected by the workers to continue the traditions that her grandmother had begun, as well as her personal involvement with Rye O'Connell grew. Her job may be in the big city, but her heart was beginning to feel far more at home in the watermelon fields.

This is not a complicated love story but there are some interesting layers of deep emotion and some strands woven together that make up this novel. Certainly there is the life-long attachment that Austin had for her grandmother and making Austin her sole heiress indicated that her grandmother loved her dearly. There seems to be some deeper stuff here, though. Perhaps Grandma really understood Austin better than she understood herself. Was she really fulfilled with her corporate, high-paying job? Was there not some deeper need Austin had ignored that was met when she rode the tractors and performed the traditions of planting, and presided over the precious plants that would become the basis of Grandma's world-famous watermelon wine? Austin also discovers the joys of the camaraderie her grandmother's friends bring into her life, the stimulation of Rye's rockem-sockem family gatherings, and the addictive blood-heating kisses she and Rye exchanged. Austin began to understand what her mother never seemed to get: being married to a career left an awful lot out of life. Add in what appeared to be some beyond-the-grave conversations from Grandma, some situation manipulation from the dearly departed old lady, and you have a fun read with some serious lessons in living which Austin needed--or at least, her grandmother seemed to think she needed.

I had not read any of Carolyn Brown's work before this novel probably because my interest in cowboy romance lagged way behind my interest in other historical times and places. Yet in this sweet and charming story there is so much wit and entertaining repartee--the metaphors and similes are a hoot--that one can only smile or chuckle as the story progresses. The characters are very sharp--there is a clear contrast between the in-you-face old ladies Austin meets every Friday for ice cream and gossip and her mother and aunts who one gets the feeling are truly prisoners of their ambition. While Austin's mother complains about her daughter's growing involvement with Rye, she is herself is being wooed, wined and dined by a suitor. I guess what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander.

I found this book to be so very entertaining and it was just what I needed to read after a week of lots of stress and commitments that seemed to use up all my time and oxygen. I was hooked from word one and found the characters to be the kind of people who are real and flawed and beautifully imperfect--just like all the rest of us. The story wasn't a complicated love story, but it was one of those gentle and growing relationships that has always warmed the hearts of readers who love romance fiction. There are times when I really want to sink my teeth into a complicated story that is a challenge from start to finish. At other times I greatly appreciate a novel like this that is fun and entertaining and fills my reading hours with lots of good vibes.

I give this novel a rating of 4 out of 5.

This review was originally posted on Book Binge by Judith.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to say that having read second book out of order and loved it that this first book pairing Austin with Rye was the perfect balance of serious and fun reading for me from start to finish.

[Karen Merrill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love Drunk Cowboy
Author: Carolyn Brown
Read: Oct. 30, 2016
Review by: Karen Massee
This book is about a car Saleswoman, Austin, from the big city, who’s grandmother dies in a little country town from nowhere and she is called back for the funeral. Her grandmother is the proud owner of a watermelon farm and is famous for her watermelon wine. Grandma leaves everything to Austin, including her secret recipes for her famous wine in hopes that she’ll pick up where she left off. Although Austin has many fond memories or her grandmother, and loved her dearly, she can’t imagine leaving the city, her job, and her rich lifestyle to run a watermelon farm and winery. Nut during the weeks it takes to get her grandmother’s things together things begin to change. She meets the neighbor next door, a tall handsome cowboy who gets her motor running, and she discovers that the workers on the farm depended on working for her grandmother yearly for decades to support their families back in Mexico. So she decides to make a go of the farm and wine business, despite the disapproval of her city family.
Overall, I thought that this book was way too long. The book could have been half as long and gotten across all the important content with no problem. In regards to the love story between Austin and Rye (the neighbor) I thought it was way too g-rated. The sex scene would be starting to build up and then BANG it was over...and they were cuddling…. I was like “What? Where was the sex? I want to read the sex scene dammit!” Convinced I accidently skipped a page I turned back a page a read more slowly, and sure enough it was like trying to watch the road runner on Loony Tunes… gone so fast all you see is a smoke trail… forget about details, let alone foreplay. It was basically just letting you know that sex “had occurred”… I don’t know about the rest of you all, and maybe it means I’m going to hell… but I love the sex scenes, the hotter the better! So, right there, the book lost a lot of points for me. I like a quality story and I felt that was lacking. It was a bunch of the same old stuff page after page. No build up, no climaxes, no big reveal. There was a little drama with the families on both sides but that’s about it. Even the H & h had a pretty smooth go of it no big obstacles to overcome. I found the book rather boring to be honest.

[Vilia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review from Backchatting Books

Austin Lanier has breezed into town to get her inherited watermelon farm ready for selling. She got a very pleasant surprise when Rye, the next door neighbour she imagined to be elderly, turned out to be a fairly hot and young. Their relationship thwarts her efforts to get a quick sale.

Austin has clearly worked hard to succeed in her chosen career. Her mother and two aunts who she sees as role models are married to their jobs. Spending time at her grandmother's farm however shows her that there is another path she can follow if she has the guts. Rye on the other hand has his life plan fairly well mapped out. He is a fairly likeable farmer type who instantly falls for Austin despite the concerns of one of his sisters. Where Austin suspects she could be happy in the country, Rye knows there is no other place for him. Their relationship tends towards the sweet rather than sultry and they spent a good time getting to know each other over the phone.

Austin's grandmother obviously passed away before the events of this novel but she is such a strong character that she influences the lives of all who met her. Austin's mother loathed the woman for her determination to toil the soil but Austin and Rye are able to appreciate the different facets of her personality and it brought them closer together.

There are a few weak points that marred my enjoyment a little bit. The biggest one would have to be the abrupt changes in perspective, followed closely by the lack of any great conflict. We have one scene where Austin over-reacts to something Rye said but that is about it. Editing felt a little hit and miss at times which was a shame. At times I felt like Brown 'hick-ed it up' which probably wasn't necessary.

This is a fairly solid contemporary romance. I don't think that any of the plot devices or stereotypical characters would come as a surprise to people but I did enjoy the read.

[Temple · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the second book of my Christmas in July challenge. My book with a "twist". . I would never have found this author or chosen this book because I have so many others to be read and more come out every week. Having said that - I am pleased to say I throughly enjoyed this book. Many of the characters in this book are exactly that - "characters". The author brought them to life for me and I laughed, I cried, and smiled my way through Love Drunk Cowboy. This is a HEA with the struggle to reach it. Austin (female lead), through the death of her beloved Grannie, has to decide between a huge promotion and career in Tulsa, with work being her constant companion OR become a watermelon farmer and winemaker in a non-existent "town" where there are probably more cows than cars. It obviously took Austin the entire book to come to the conclusion I arrived at early on. Her managerial talents could be used on the farm and she could do equally as well monetarily and instead of work being her constant companion - she could have her across the street rancher Rye O'Donnell. Austin comes from a female dominant family, always climbing the corporate ladder regardless of the field they have chosen. Her mother is constantly finding ways to bring her back to Tulsa before she does away with her grandmother's things. Her aunts and her boss join in those endeavors. While back on the farm, Rye, his extended family, her grannie's cohorts and the land itself pull her the other way. Of course happily ever after for me is the guy gets the girl and Rye has his work cut out for him. Austin matches him in temperment, ambition, and sex drive. No deviations here, just good, hard sex. Thank you whoever picked this for me. I will read this author again.

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just sweeter than watermelonpie (now I have never tasted that, but it fits the language in the book.)

Austin is a city girl who inherits her granny's watermelon farm, and she falls in love with the life. She used to come there every summer as a kid. She is nice and I have nothing bad to say about her. Then we have Rye, her sexy bull riding neighbour. There is chemistry there at once and he wants her so much. My heart went all awww there because he truly falls in love with her at first sight, and I love a man like that.


The book was so sweet and nice, and they took is slow which I loved too. They formed a friendship, they went out on dates, sure it was all during a short period of time but it still felt slow. Above all this book is a sweet love story about a couple that is nothing alike. A city slicker meets a cowboy. But then the city slicker is pretty country after all. A fancy career and nothing else is not perhaps the best thing to have. You also need love and a family of your own. At least this is what Austin will find out; oh and that actually doing some farming is good for the soul.

I liked their courtship dance; I liked the country language thrown in here and there. Maybe because it felt “exotic” to me. I liked the sweetness of the story and that there was no big drama, just these two falling in love, and making decisions. Will she stay?

Conclusion:
I want a cowboy of my own! This book was easy to read and it left me with a smile on my face. Since this is a series I do wonder who she will write about next. There are some good candidates, and I will read that book. Sweet and nice with a hunky cowboy on top.

Rating.
Yes sweet :D

[Elizabeth]

I wanted to like this book. Heck, I wanted to finish it but I just couldn't do it.

I'll start off by saying I really don't understand the extreme popularity of cowboy books generally. I'm from a small town, but am now a urban liberal so perhaps that is the barrier. The cowboy books are so popular, however, I thought I'd give it a spin and see if I am missing something. I am still not getting it (though I recognize this book may not be representative of all cowboy romances).

My biggest complaint is the lack of true romantic conflict and tension. From practically the first page, the hero and heroine are drooling over each other. Repeatedly. Get in bed already people. The only thing keeping them from doing the horizontal tango is a series of cute mishaps, such as high school kids showing up at the skinny dipping hole. The real conflict appears to be whether the big city girl will stick in the small town with the cowboy in the rinky dink podunk town. I didn't finish the book, but it seems pretty obvious from the start where that's heading.

One other thing that drove me up a wall - the constant reference to his "tat." If you've read my other reviews you'll know that if I'm not loving a book, and even sometimes if I am, I'll start going batty over a small quirk. Here it was the repeated reference to his "tat." Maybe that phrase is popular down in Oklahoma, but not here. Too cute and easily date. Agh, make it stop.

There are going to be readers who like this book - more power to them or you. Know what you like, but this book just wasn't for me (see my other reviews to see whether your tastes align with mine).

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Drunk Cowboy
By Carolyn Brown

Blurb:
All Austin Lanier wants is to sell her inherited watermelon farm, slip on her stilettos and run back to corporate America. Until the drop dead sexy cowboy next door, Rye O'Donnell, decides he'll only take the farm if he can get the fiery woman who owns it as part of the deal...

Review:
Austin Lanier has only come looking to say goodbye to her grandmother but found out that the soil and water seeped into her heart. She’s a silk suit and stiletto girl who’s never had a beer. She begins to learn more about herself and her family as she learns how to run her grandmother’s farm. The first thing she learns is not to judge someone without meeting them. Rye isn’t the old man she thought he was. And he’s determined to worm his way into her heart.

I loved that Austin enjoyed shocking her mom. Every phone call ended with my own laughter. I could see Austin’s mom getting more and more worried that she was losing her daughter. Add a dash of Grandma’s meddling from beyond the grave and you have a delightful read. The sex is sizzling when it finally comes about but the focus is on Austin’s transformation and the relationship she builds with Rye.

The secondary characters will thrill you, from Molly and Greta to the O’Donnell siblings. My favorites were Austin’s mom and aunts. They sounded like high-powered women who all needed a cowboy to ride!

[Netanella · Rating 3 out of 5]

First paragraph: "The Lanier gut was never wrong.
Austin Lanier didn’t need a deck of Tarot cards or a psychic to tell her something was fixing to twist her world into knots. She looked behind her… nothing but willow trees with new mint-colored leaves dancing in the spring breeze. She looked ahead… nothing but the muddy waters of the Red River."

"Love Drunk Cowboy" is a vanilla-flavored, tender-hearted romance that's easy-breezy reading for a Sunday morning. Nothing exciting to get your heart racing, just a couple of smiles at some wise-cracking ol' Southern gals and a cute contemporary Western romance that your Great Aunt Gertrude wouldn't mind you reading. It's sweet, pure, cute - heck, it's a Hallmark movie. And worth the read, if you like the genre.

I enjoyed the story - about city-slicker Austin who inherits her Grammy's watermelon farm in Podunk, Oklahoma, and falls in love with the sexy cowboy neighbor Rye. I also enjoyed Austin's character - she stood up to her family members and knew what she wanted. Additionally, there wasn't any of the typical romance-contrived plot-device of misunderstandings that can last chapters (or even decades in some bodice-rippers). A fun read, and recommended for its genre.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austin Lanier comes to Terral, Oklahoma, where she used to spend a few summers at her grandmother's house, to scatter her grandma's ashes in the river, like she asked in her will. She also intend to thanks Rye O'Donnell, her granny's friend and long time neighbor, who looked after things at her house after she died. Even if she talked to him a few times on the phone, Austin expect to meet an old man but he's anything but.

The moment he sees her, Rye is smitten. She also feels the heat but her life is hours away and not for the ranch life. But when Austin learns her grandma's left her her watermelon's farm and that the workers from Mexico who works for the woman every summer already arrived for the season, she doesn't have the heart to sell right away and will take the time to think about what to do next. What if her life was really in fruit's production and wine making business ? And maybe with a cattle rancher and bulls' owner by her side ?

The story drag a bit in the middle but re-reading a Carolyn Brown gave me the same giddy feeling than the first time and I enjoy that her romances are low on dramas.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Austin thought the trip to her Gran´s watermelon farm would just be to spread the ashes and close up the house for a sale, but Gran has another plan. Even from the other side she´s planning and plotting for Austin to come back home to what she needs.
Neighbor Rye will play a big deal in the plotting as well, and soon Austin is feeling the effects of drinking the water on the farm..
Contemporary romance, fluff and smut in a great combo. Listened to the audio version and the narrator was great as well.

[Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Carolyn Brown's style of writing! Plenty of sexy cowboy's, drama and witty elderly women! Austin Lanier is a city girl who works for an oil company. When her grandmother dies and leaves Austin her watermelon farm. Austin goes to the small town planning on selling the farm. Along comes the Rye O'Donnell, the sexy rancher from across the field, who also happens to be one of her grandmother's dear friends. This story was fun and very entertaining! Not to mention that Rye is every girls dream cowboy! (Swoon)

[Katy Budget Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Karla says: It made me crazy when the main character, supposedly an educated oil exec, turned into a complete redneck when she went back home. The more I read, the worse it got. I probably won't read another one. However, Jan, another employee here, raves about Carolyn Brown. Guess it's just a matter of taste.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

If having a watermelon farm comes with a cowboy like this one as a neighbor I'll take one too. Great story line with romance and comedy. One thing missing though on the cover is his tattoo, referred a lot about it I kept expecting to see it on the arm on the cover. That was only thing missing though. I would say after reading this love drunk is my kind if I was to tie one on.